Negative Thoughts

We've all heard it at one time or another. That little voice or thought that whispers in your ear. "You can't do it." "You can't go any further." "You're not fast/strong/good enough." In the midst of struggle and adversity it slithers up from our personal pit of fears and manifests as a thought that invades our consciousness, erodes our resolve, and undermines our confidence.

One thing I've learned from practicing Zen is that these thoughts are really just that. Thoughts. No different from any other thought that rambles its way through our consciousness. They only have meaning to you if you decide to give them meaning. They only affect you if you choose to let them affect you. Thoughts by themselves can't harm you if you don't let them. It's what you do when you get them that determine their affect on you. Do you solider on? Do you quit?

In Zen meditation the idea is not to block all thought. The idea is to not be affected by them. If you can do this then you've essentially blocked the affect that negative thoughts can have on you by not reacting to them. The thoughts will still be there. They still continue to slither through your consciousness like the dark snakes they are, looking for opportunities to snuff out the fires of determination. But you just choose to not be affected by them. You choose to let them come and go without having an affect on your mental state. Do this and you'll take away all the power that negative thoughts have. Master this and you'll master the mind.